Texas sheriff tracks down the Florida deputy that changed his life

Wednesday

Apr 3, 2019 at 3:31 PMApr 3, 2019 at 3:33 PM

A Lake County, Fla., deputy changed a little boy’s life when he arrested the man who was abusing the child’s mother.

It was 1985.

Fast forward 34 years and that little boy, Robert Chody, is now sheriff in Williamson County, Texas. He says Paul Peterson, the Lake County deputy from his childhood, inspired him to get into law enforcement.

“I felt this calmness, peace, load lifted off my shoulders that I’ll never forget to this day,” Chody said in a recent TV interview.

Orlando TV station WOFL reported that Sheriff Chody got in touch with Peterson with the help of the Lake County’s Sheriff’s Office and social media. Peterson was overwhelmed.

“It had been 34 years, and I had no idea I had that kind of an impact on someone’s life,” he said.

Peterson was also inspired to serve through law enforcement by an officer.